BEST Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
This homemade Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is a flavor explosion and the perfect comfort food for a chilly day. It combines tender chicken, chewy wild rice, and a creamy broth that warms you from the inside out. It's easy to make and customizable to your liking.
Equipment
- Large pot or Dutch oven
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Mixing spoon
- Whisk
- Fork
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 cup uncooked wild rice blend
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- Fresh parsley, chopped optional garnish
- Green onions, sliced optional garnish
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts or thighs generously with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika.
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium-high heat.
- Sear the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool slightly.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of butter to the pot.
- Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent.
- Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute, until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic!
- Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed vegetables and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, to create a roux.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Add the wild rice blend, dried thyme, dried sage, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the soup to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the wild rice is tender and has opened up. Check periodically and add a little extra broth if needed.
- While the soup simmers, shred the cooked chicken using two forks.
- Remove the bay leaf from the soup.
- Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream.
- Heat through gently, being careful not to boil the soup after adding the cream.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed.
- Ladle the Chicken & Wild Rice Soup into bowls.
- Garnish with fresh parsley or green onions, if desired.
- Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Wild rice cooking times vary; check package instructions. Temper cream by whisking in a small amount of hot soup before adding to the pot to prevent curdling. Avoid boiling after adding cream. For a thicker soup, use a cornstarch slurry (1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp cold water) or an immersion blender, but be careful not to over-blend the rice. Soup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2-3 months. Try adding mushrooms, spinach, kale, rosemary, oregano, or chives. For a lighter version, use half-and-half or milk instead of heavy cream.